We’re talking back to school fashion here folks… because the fashion world is 5 leap years ahead of everyone. I mean…I WANT MY SUMMAH FIRST!

But I digress…

I was invited to preview the Back To School line with Lands End last week.

This fun kids back to school line is full of color + layers+ sequins to make that little kiddlet of yours looking fierce amongst his or her peers!

Lands End has a really fab technology called Iron Knee – This is where they have reinforced the knees of their pants … mainly for boys… so they don’t rip. Pretty genius. The ‘iron knee’ is seamless and very soft and blended into the fabric in the knee area.

I am loving the mixing of patterns. Lily is the pattern mixologist champ! She’s never met a pattern she didn’t mix with another fellow pattern! PolkaDots are STILL going strong … no complaints here!

Notice that cute backpack… it has fab details like a leather strap and mod pattern, reinforced fabric PLUS a special zipper at the bottom for stinky shoes. YES!

Put a Bird on it… This cute Owl skirt is the best! And sequins Boots lined with soft faux fur… i love this!

The Boys line is a bit of prep meets practical. Love the fall colors and all this plaid. We’re mad about Plaid! ( sorry I had to say that! )

Sequins shirts for everyone! You know me and glitter… never enough. This shirt is a WIN!

Notice all the cute accessories.. head band, clips, and this bow tie! Skull and crossbones… you need this!

Your kid has uniforms? Lands End has you covered and remember how I told you about IRON KNEE… these uniform pants have it as well.

This leopard print cardigan with red jeans… I want this whole outfit in ME size.

As you can see Land’s End has your kiddies back when it comes to going back to school in style! Clothes, backpacks, lunch boxes – all of which can be personalized with your kids name or initials.

Back to school shopping is right around the corner folks… I hope you keep Lands End in mind.

*I was not paid for this post. I did receive a swag bag filled with goodies from Lands End*

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This weekend we stopped into Brooklyn Charm, a sweet little bead shop in Williamsburg.

I have an unhealthy obsession with beads and jewelry making. I can roam through bead stores for hours and be totally in my creative element.

Brooklyn Charm is so well curated with some of the coolest charms and beads I’ve seen. I had to limit myself to 30 minutes in there otherwise my brain was going to explode from all the possibilities.

I mean NY state charms.. how cool! They actually have all 50 states in a smaller size.

Rows and rows and rows of gorgeous pieces. I can’t wait to make my mom something for Mother’s day! Brooklyn Charm also has a ton of classes for $40 each and the price includes your supplies.

I can’t wait to take Lily here. She will looove it just as much as I do.. except the prices are a bit steep. So… she might have to dig into her piggy bank.

Maybe the prices are steep because it’s so well curated with only choice beads in here. You know if you are serious about going into the jewelry making biz you should head to the west 30’s to get your fill of endless stores of beads and jewels and everything your heart desires.

I picked up a few somethings to make a sweet charm for a dear friend of mine. And love picking out things that reflect her and her interests!

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Cinco de Mayo is around the corner. Do you and your family do something special on this day?

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States.

Food Network celebrity Chef Ingrid Hoffman and Coca Cola have some great recipes and crafty tips to share with you.

Coca Cola has some crafty ideas for getting your fiesta started!

Every fab fiesta needs food right… so I’m going to attempt to make delicious Enchiladas Suizas.

1. Place the chicken, water, 2 of the garlic cloves, and the adobo to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the chicken is opaque when pierced in the thickest part with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid into a heatproof bowl and reserve. Let the chicken cool. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.

2. Puree the tomatillos, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, and the remaining garlic clove with ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and Parmesan. Pour into a wide, shallow dish or bowl.

3. Wrap the tortillas in moistened paper towels. Microwave on high (100%) until the tortillas are pliable, about 15 seconds.

4. Position the broiler rack 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Spray a 9 × 13-inch flameproof baking dish with cooking spray. Dip each tortilla in the sauce. Transfer to a plate. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken on the tortilla and roll it up. Place, seam side down, in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

5. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately.

Enchiladas Suizas from Ingrid’s new book “Latin D’Lite”

If you’re looking for some ideas and recipes for Cinco De mayo check out COKE FIESTA

*I was paid for this post via the ROLE MOMMY WRITERS NETWORK. All opinions are my own. *

This pint sized collection of prints and vibrant colors is aviailable starting TODAY – Thursday April 25 at select GAP stores across the country.

Last Night I was invited to an exclusive launch party in New York City.

I met and chatted with DVF herself. She told me she was excited about this second collaboration and it was delightful to see her classic designs and patterns shrunk down for the littles. (not those exact words)

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Lily has always wanted to open a restaurant. For as long as I can remember she has talked about opening a restaurant and as she goes through her little life she collects recipes for her future culinary institution.

I’m not joking.. this is real. She plans and plots her foodie spot all the time.

I was sent a review copy of Jennifer Perillo’s new cookbook Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie’s Kitchen.Lily and I sat on the couch and read through the beautiful pages. Jennifer’s story is inspiring. Always a cook, Jennifer Perillo lost her husband unexpectedly a few years ago. Cooking has proven to be a savior for her and her two girls. This cookbook is nothing short of a love story to her family, for her family, through the power of food.

Lily was moved and touched by this and found a connection with Jennifer and her daughters without ever meeting them. Each recipe in Homemade With Loveopens with a little personal story and Lily loves picking the recipes based on the stories… which by the way… she now eats MUSHROOMS thanks to that Mushroom Bolognese recipe and story! Thanks J!

Jennifer Perillo encourages buying local, cooking from scratch and dining with family every chance we get.

If you follow Jennifer on her social media channels, you will see the commitment to this. her sweet dinners with her children every night inspires me…and she uses cloth napkins… i mean cloth napkins DAILY! . * note to self… get cloth napkins*

Those fine ladies over at KidzVUz invited Lily to COOK with Jennifer Perillo recently. Lily was THRILLED!! I mean here she is getting to cook with THE woman who wrote this cookbook she is so in love with.

So on a cool Saturday morning.. off we went.. to cooking school.

Jennifer could not have been more encouraging with Lily… and the whole class. They made chocolate cupcakes from scratch. Mixed the flour and cocoa and tasted the batter.. all of it.

Jennies’ story is beautiful and sad and uplifting. Her recipes are spot on… I have been following her for a year now and have really loved her food and the lifestyle she has created.

The recipes are easy enough for NON COOKING people like me.. but also have some for seasoned cooks. All in all it’s a back to basic lifestyle that we should all be a part of. The recipes are for everyday living and quick easy from scratch meals that are very tasty!

After Lily learned to make her cupcakes from scratch.. she declared that we are NEVER EVER going to make cupcakes from a box.. because REAL cookers don’t do that!

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Matt and I loooove to eat good food. We know food and are always on the quest to discover new spots. Being in the NYC metro area this is never a challenge. There is no shortage of foodie finds for the two of us.

However, since moving to Long Island we have been unlucky in finding a resto we like or would frequent. And this stinks because there is nothing I love more than a long drawn out meal with exciting food and a vibe and all that.

Word on the street was that there was a new wine bar in town …UVA ROSSA.

Lily had a dinner at a friend’s house and it was just Matt and me and the baby so we popped in to see what this new spot was all about.

We started off with FRIED spaghetti and sea salt…this was JUST the snack sitting at the bar. and if you have not had fried spaghetti with sea salt… you’re missing something gooooood.

Next, we ordered a cocktail and a glass of wine and a few ‘small plates”. UVA ROSSA is VERY generous with their small plates.{because…well… ummm.. look at the picture below… small plate? } The food was perfectly seasoned and marinated and the bread was fresh out of the oven. Good stuff kids!

We only had a few tapas but will be heading back for a full dinner soon.

Finding this great foodie spot so nearby was really great. Sometimes it just take a moment of good food and good vibes to shake you of your every-day days ya know.

Uva Rossa is fairly new.. 2 weeks… so the service was kinda wonky. The staff is young and maybe a bit inexperienced but give it a few and head over there… totally worth it!

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I’m back at work part time. But leaving the little man with a sitter just pulls at my heart.
Thom is 19 weeks and he can’t really even hold his head up all the way and he eats and sleeps and smiles and poops all the time! And his sweet face just melts my heart.
It very healthy for me to be out of the house twice a week. My mind is refreshed and I’m around intelligent people who inspire me and make me laugh and think. All great things for my overall wellness.
But a piece of my heart is always left back home with my little man Thom.

Every morning when Lily heads off to school I hold my breath until she comes home. My mind is with her all day wondering what kind of day she’s having. Are kids being nice to her. Is her teacher kind. Did she eat her lunch.

It never stops.
Like my grandmother says – leave it in gods hands.
I will.